The performance and coverage of a wireless communications system (e.g., a code-division multiple access system) depends upon the amount of interference in the relevant frequency band. Sources of interference may include the wireless communications system itself and external sources of electromagnetic energy. For example, transmission of mobile stations on the reverse link or the base station on the forward link may generate interference. Interference at a base station of a wireless system reduces reverse link coverage and/or reliability. Accordingly, a base station may improperly drop a call of a subscriber station, a subscriber station may experience low voice quality or a high frame error rate, and a subscriber station may have an increased access failure rate. Thus, a need exists for a method for controlling reverse link access to address the aforementioned problems.